Art, endless cupcakes, and a great cause

St. Vital

Central Park

Art… and cupcakes? What’s not to like?

Mentoring Artists for Women’s Art is set to hold its 22nd annual Over the Top Art Auction and Cupcake Party on Sunday, April 12 from 1 to 5 p.m. at 329 Cumberland Ave.

The event will showcase the work of more than 190 artists, who have all donated one of their creations for the upcoming auction. And just to be clear… it is the artworks that will be auctioned not the cupcakes.

The fundraiser features works from established names in the local art scene, as well as up-and-coming talents, with pieces that should appeal to all tastes and budgets, said Shawna Dempsey, MAWA’s co-executive director.

Funds raised will be used to provide professional, engaging visual art programming, such as mentorship programs, discussion groups, skills-based workshops, artist lectures and a cross-cultural craft program.

“You’ll get to see nearly 200 stunning original artworks,” Dempsey said.

“And one of the exciting things about the event is that it makes owning original art affordable for everyone. You could end up owning a gorgeous piece of art that’ll you’ll then get to see every day.”

The fundraiser is actually a three-day affair, involving an opening party on Friday, April 10, from 5 to 9 p.m., when bidding will begin, and another viewing and bidding session on April 11 from noon to 6 p.m. The Sunday party will be the culmination of the bidding process.

Now in its third decade, Dempsey said the Over the Top auction is a fixture of the local cultural calendar.

“It’s something that people really look forward to every year. It also welcomes spring,” Dempsey said.

She added that each artist has the choice of donating all or some of the proceeds to MAWA from their auctioned item.

Participating artist Cori Jaye Ettienne is delighted to be part of the auction, not least because it’s a way of giving back to the artistic community. The St. Vital resident said the support of MAWA has been integral in her own journey to becoming a full-time artist. Ettienne is a former MAWA board member and continues to be involved with mentoring programs.

“When I decided I wanted to build a full-time art career, I had no mentor. As a professional artist, I came across MAWA, and I’m now mentoring an artist from Nigeria,” Ettienne, who paints in acrylics and mainly in a surrealism style, said. “MAWA is such an important organization.”

“Being able to help other artists is so pivotal. It’s important for me to be able to help other people, and mentoring for me is a big part of this.”

“It’s so important to help give people a leg up and paying it forward. Every time I do a program like this, I feel like I’m making a difference.”

Tickets for the auction are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. Visit mawa.ca/events/ott-art-auction-2026 for more information, or to buy tickets.